(Family Features) All moms need more time to handle their busy schedules - that's a universal truth - but it could be argued that no one feels that cataclysmic time shift more than a first-time mother. Suddenly, there is little room for showering and sleeping, let alone for making grocery lists, keeping up with workout routines, planning weekly meals, or managing a household budget. The good news is that help is just a download away.

Smart moms use smart phones

According to "Dr. Mom Study 3," conducted by BabyCenter, smartphone ownership is higher among moms than the general population and moms spend an average of 6.1 hours a day with their smartphones. Having the right apps ready to assist is just one way to save time, money and sanity while moms focus on their new role.

New moms should consider the following apps as they gear up to bring an infant home or focus on those first few months with their little one. All of the apps are free, user-friendly and ready to make motherhood easier:

* Similac StrongMoms Baby Journal app - Gone are the days of juggling notebooks to jot down feedings and diaper changes or booting up the laptop to enter sleeping schedules. This app allows moms who breastfeed, formula-feed and pump to easily track feedings, diapering, growth and sleeping patterns - and create graphs to help monitor them - anywhere, anytime. Moms can even email reports to family, friends or the pediatrician. Read more about the features of this app at http://similac.com/app.

* Grocery iQ - No more racking your brain to jot down a grocery list. With Grocery iQ, simply scan the barcodes of products in the kitchen that need to be replenished and they're automatically added to the list. You can also search for millions of items independently. Once complete, the list can be synchronized with other devices, so when mom is home with baby, dad can feel confident he's picking up the right stuff. To read more, visit www.groaceryiq.com.

* Calorie Counter by My Net Diary - New moms should ease into any kind of physical activity, but many are eager to reinvest in their physique. Calorie Counter avoids fad dieting and helps tailor a diet to mom's personal preferences, giving her a better chance for long-term success.

With an expansive food database, automatic recent history, recipes, custom foods, an emphasis on key nutrients and a community to help with morale; this is an all-in-one diet app. Check out this app at www.mynetdiary.com.

* AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner - Dinner still needs to get on the table, even when the fridge is low on food and mom's brain is even lower on sleep.

With the AllRecipes Dinner Spinner app, simply plug in the ingredients available on hand and a variety of recipes will appear to take the guesswork out of mealtime. Visit www.allrecipes.com to check it out.

Stocking up on these apps before baby arrives, or downloading them once baby comes home, can alleviate some of mom's stress as she adjusts to the wonderful chaos that her infant will bring and what better time to start than the very beginning?

For more information on the Similac Baby Journal app, visit http://similac.com/app or scan the barcode below.